All You Mean To Me
by Aiko Kitty Skywalker
Summary: Set during Episode III. What would have happened if when Anakin tells Padme he is leaving the Jedi Order and going to become a Sith and Padme tells him she is pregnant? **FINISHED**
1. Prologue

All You Mean To Me

By Aiko "Kitty" Skywalker

Prologue 

Holding her breath, she watched the angry and dismal expression of her husband, the wells of tears in his eyes. Somehow she knew this wasn't right; somehow she knew he wasn't alright; somehow she knew she wasn't alright; somehow she knew they weren't alright.

Turning away from him for a moment, she breathed in deeply, preparing to say what she needed to say.

"I have something to tell you." She managed to squeak out weakly.

"As do I." He responded.

"You first," she said, delaying the inevitable.

"I have decided to leave the Jedi order."

"What?" she nearly screamed, unable to comprehend what he was saying. "Why would you do this? The Jedi have given you a home, they have clothed you and sheltered you for years! They raised you, they took care of you! How could you turn your backs on them?"

"They lied to me, they deceived me! They give us a life of poverty Mé! If it weren't for them we could be better off! They keep us in poverty! I'm sick of living like this Mé, cramped and poor on Tatooine! I have come across a new group, a group that promises us fortune, promises us comfort, a group the Jedi warned me about but I believe we are better off with. They are called the Sith…"

"The Sith? Anakin you must be joking! You told me about the Sith! It was the Sith's fault that Naboo was attacked by the Trade Federation, it was the Sith's fault that Qui-Gon died, it was the Sith's fault…"

"Yes, yes, yes, everything it the Sith's fault!" Anakin spat out. "But nothing you can say will change my mind. I just beg that you will come with me. Come to the Dark Side with me, keep me whole. I am nothing without you…"

"No Anakin. If you choose the life of a Sith you shall live with the consequences. I shall not live the life of evil. I'm sorry Anakin."

Turning her back on him, she felt the salty tears of rage course down her cheeks. This was for the best, wasn't it?

"Mé…"

"I'm sorry Anakin." She stated sadly. She could hear him turn on his heal to leave; she could hear the mechanism on the door begin to work, opening it up. She could hear him exit the house.

But she made no move to stop him. Lowering her hand to her quenching womb, she allowed the soft yet deadly tears to course freely now. Anakin has chosen the Sith.

Or had he. Turning to look back, she saw her husband frozen in the doorway. He hadn't moved since she had last heard him.

"What is it you had to tell me Mé?" he asked, suddenly remembering his wife.

"It's not important…"

"Tell me Mé!" she could here his temper rising yet she stood her ground.

"You really want to know?" she asked looking honestly at him, praying to the force that he cared.

"Yes," he stated, his anger subsiding slightly.

Taking a deep and cleansing breath, she watched as he turned to look at her, honestly and with care.

"I'm pregnant."

End of Prologue

That's it for now. You just have to wait for some more.

May the force be with you,

Aiko "Kitty" Skywalker


	2. Chapter One

All You Mean To Me

By Aiko "Kitty" Skywalker

Chapter One 

"I'm pregnant."

Anakin blinked several times, sending Padmé through a whirl of emotions. What would he say? What would he do? Would he be happy? Would he be angry? Would he not care? Would he be the loving father she knew he could be? Would eh despise their child? Would he even care to be there at all? Would this affect his decision to turn to the Sith?

Padmé's mind raced a million miles per hour, but not nearly as fast as Anakin's.

But luckily for Padmé, Anakin managed to speak before she had to.

"Wha…Wha…What?"

Putting her hand to her forehead in disbelief, she walked towards the bewildered Anakin. Taking his large hands within her small she looked up at him hopefully.

"I'm pregnant." She said as if he were a child.

"Oh…okay…" he said in disbelief, the news that he would be a father taking control of him. Looking beyond her to the table, he looked at his chair that seemed to beckon him to sit. "I…I just have to sit down for a minute…that's all honey."

Padmé watched Anakin in shock and disbelief. Never had she seen such a strong and noble man look so scared in all of her life. Never had she seen her husband scared, felt alone shocked, so this was taking its toll on her as well.

"Anakin?"

"Yes?"

"Are you all right?"

"Oh ya, never better." He said sarcastically gaining a little bit of his composure back.

"What do you have to say about this?"

Anakin just stared into her eyes, all traces of his loneliness and tears gone. All that she could see was a hopeless longing and confusion.

"I'm…I'm going to be a father?"

Padmé smiled lightly. Maybe he was really grasping the concept.

"Yes,"

It was then that Padmé knew the answer to all of her questions. Anakin's face spread into a wide smile and he stood, grasping a hold of his wife by the waste and spinning her. He laughed aloud and Padmé gasped in surprise.

"We're going to be parents Mé! Parents!" Anakin laughed out loud as tears of joy welled in his eyes.

Padmé's smile grew as bright at Anakin's as he put her down and wrapped her in a strong hug. Wrapping her arms around his neck she rested her head onto his shoulder.

Then suddenly something hit Anakin, he released her quickly and held her at arms length. "Sorry, I shouldn't do that. I might harm the child."

Padmé smiled and brushed her hand against his cheek.

"I'm not a porcelain doll and neither is it." Padmé's eyes glimmered with hope. "After all this child is yours and you aren't weak."

"And neither are you." Anakin put in with a wink.

Padmé's expression suddenly changed to all seriousness.

"Anakin what about the Jedi?" she asked in all seriousness. 

"What about them?"

"What will they say? They weren't exactly thrilled when we married, what will they say about a child?"

"Who cares about the Jedi Padmé? I'm still leaving the order." Anakin added in, clueless to the fact that Padmé had thought that maybe because of the child that he had changed his mind.

"What? But Anakin we need financial support and the Jedi support us…"

"So will the Sith."

"Anakin we can rely on the Jedi! How can we rely on a group that we know nothing about?"

"Padmé they'll help us. Palpatine…"

Padmé's eyes glazed over in anger. "Do not dare utter that word in this house. He gave up the Republic, as we know it. He created those clones and he started the war. Do not ever mention that name!"

"He is the leader of the Mé, he has offered us wealth in exchange for my turn to the Dark Side!"

"But Anakin don't you see you wont be who you are if you turn! Anakin please! For me?"

"Mé…"

"No Anakin! I will have nothing to do with Palpatine anymore! If he has anything to do with the Sith you do not have my blessing…"

"I don't need your blessing, Mé. I have already agreed to the terms set by Palpatine. I am a Sith now Mé."

"You dare go behind my back and make a decision that affects us both and the life of our child so drastically!" Padmé's eyes filled with tears. "And to add to it, it was a decision you knew I would not support."

"That's the reason why I went behind your back. I knew you wouldn't support it…"

Padmé's eyes seemed distant to Anakin, seemed to empty and lifeless. She looked so betrayed, standing there will her hand in a fist.

"Mé…"

"Get out of my house." She whispered harshly.

"What?"

"Get out of my house!" she hissed.

"Mé please listen…"

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" she creamed at the top of her lungs, refusing to look into his eyes.

"Where am I supposed to go?" he asked. "My transport doesn't come until tomorrow morning."

"I don't know and I don't care."

Anakin just stared into the eyes that were filled with the feeling of betrayal. Looking to the floor he noticed the bag he had packed for his transport back to the wars the next morning. Taking a deep breath, he turned on his heal, his eyes filled to the rim with tears.

"Mé…" he said again trying to get her to listen.

"Just go." She spat out, trying her best to hide her sobs.

"Fine Mé I'll leave. Goodbye Padmé Amidala Naberrie."

And with that Anakin Skywalker walked out of Padmé's life.

End of Chapter One

That's it for now. You just have to wait for some more. Were you really expecting that?

May the force be with you,

Aiko "Kitty" Skywalker


	3. Chapter Two

All You Mean To Me

By Aiko "Kitty" Skywalker

Chapter Two 

Padmé released all the sobs that threatened to fall as soon as Anakin walked out the door. Falling to the kitchen floor, she released all the anguish and pain that had been built up inside of her since she had begun to see the change in Anakin. She should have seen it sooner; she should have been able to help him. If she'd been the wife Anakin had wanted and needed she probably would have. Holding her face in her arms as the crumpled herself into a ball on the floor.

She was so alone suddenly it frightened her. She was on a still unfamiliar planet almost void of life entirely. Tatooine wasn't exactly the liveliest of planets, nothing like Naboo that had no place void of life. But here, as far as she could see were just the rolling hills and dunes of sand. During the sand storms it was even worse.

She often went to Owen and Beru Lars, Anakin's step brother and step brother's wife's home on a moisture farm only twenty kilometers away in the little speeder Anakin had built for her.

But now, she was completely alone. Forgetting the tiny life that grew inside of her, she focused on the fact that she had nowhere to turn. Anakin was probably at Owen and Beru's so she couldn't turn to them and she knew no one else here, save a few shopkeepers in Mos Eisley.

"Ani why did you have to leave me?" she questioned through her sobs. "Why did you have to leave us?" she questioned again.

Then it hit her. Us. Them. The two of them. There were two of them that he had left.

Her eyes growing wide, she shot up to her feet rushing towards the door. Maybe she could catch Anakin before he left…

No such luck. His speeder had already left.

Hyperventilating slightly eh rushed out to her speeder. Maybe she could catch him at Owen and Beru's. Jumping in, she hurried quickly off to Owen and Beru's.

Anakin turned another corner of Mos Eisley, pulling his cloche up about his face. It had been nearly an hour since he had left Padmé. Still fuming slightly from her sudden rage with him, he had decided to find a transport that evening.

Spotting the distant port, he quickened his pace, hoping to be able to catch a transport to Coruscant or at least to a Republican based planet. Entering the port, he peered around, hoping to the force to catch the eye of a familiar pilot.

Unable to find one, he turned his gaze to a well-known republican staking himself out for the time being on Tatooine renting out transports to people for a pretty Republican credit sum. His name was Kio Dulli, a human from Corellia. Anakin had met him on a mission with the Republican Navy earlier in the Clone Wars. His friend was only on leave because of a knee injury when he had been shot down over Geonosis.

"Hey Knight Skywalker, how have the days been to you?" called out Kio Dulli.

"Not too bad Kio but I've come to ask a favor. I need a transport to Coruscant. I have had a fight with Padmé and well, I believe that it's best to leave the planet as soon as possible."

"A fight with Padmé? Unbelievable Skywalker." Pausing for a moment, he continued turning strait to business. "It'll cost you 2000 credits, I know you Jedi only carry credits so since I'm going to Coruscant anyways I'll give you a lift and I'll be able to change the credits for the currency in the outer rim no sweat. When do you need to depart by?"

Picking up his bags that he had neglected when he had greeted his friend. "Now if possible."

"Of course Skywalker, I'll just need ten minutes to prepare the old girl for ya and than well be on our way."

Padmé leaned her head down onto the Lars's dinner table. Sobs racking her body, she rapped her arms around her neck and allowed Beru to put a hand onto her shoulder blade, trying to comfort her in her current condition.

"And he said he had already joined Palpatine! He went behind my back Beru, I don't know how he could have done this."

Beru looked on sympathetically as Owen stood at the other side of the room, shacking his head soundly. He looked towards Beru who nodded towards him. Owen took that as a sure sign to go and pull out one of the cots and headed out to the extra bedroom, which doubled as Beru's sewing room whenever they could afford material.

Beru took a quick glance towards the still a jarred door. Standing she paced over, closing the door before noticing the approaching sand storm.

"You'll be staying here Padmé until the storm is over at least. I shall not have you traveling twenty kilometers in a sand storm in your condition."

"But Beru I was planning on calling…"

"Obi-Wan? We have a transmitter; you can contact him from here. Don't worry Padmé, everything will be alright." She said leading Padmé to the transmitter.

"Obi-Wan Kenobi this is Padmé Skywalker. Obi-Wan?"

After what seemed like an eternity, finally Obi-Wan responded.

"Padmé?" he crocked out sleepily over his transmitter. "You do realize it's three in the morning here on Coruscant?"

"I'm sorry Obi-Wan but this is important." She stated slowly. "Its about Anakin."

"What about him?" he asked, perking up slightly hearing the name of his former Padawan.

"He's leaving the Jedi Order." She stated quickly. "And to make matters worse he's joined Palpatine and the Sith."

"What?" he spat out in shock, quickly becoming awake. Reaching to his side for his Jedi robe. "I must contact the council with the news immediately. Thank you for telling me Padmé." He said reached forwards to turn off the transmitter.

"Wait Obi-Wan that's not all!" she squeaked out.

Obi-Wan looked quizzically at her. "What more?"

"Its more important than that."

"What's more important than this?" he asked, a little peeved.

Taking a deep breath she put a hand to her now swelling womb.

"I'm pregnant." She stated slowly looking down at her feet. After a moment she looked up into his Obi-Wan's eyes.

Obi-Wan said nothing but Padmé could tell he was contemplating the situation thoroughly.

"Does he know?"

Padmé nodded her head almost reluctantly.

"I told him after he told me he was going to leave the order."

"What did he do?"

"He was bursting with pride and happiness. We were happy for a few minutes but then I asked what the Jedi would say. He said he didn't care and that he was still leaving the order. We got in a fight over this, I was worried about four financial situation, after all the Jedi do support us and I'm sure they'd support our child too but Anakin simply said that the Sith would supply us more financially and he said that he had already gone to Palpatine and than he had already agreed to join."

"So he's…"

"A sith. Yes," Padmé answered dutifully, lowering her head again. "I grew angry with him, after all he had made a decision that would surely mess up what little life we have left and would ultimately effect the outcome of the wars. He said it was for the best and I told him to get out. He left after I yelled at him. I came to the Lars's hoping to catch him but he wasn't here. I'm afraid Obi-Wan that I might have lost him…"

Obi-Wan sat in silence for a few minutes and then finally spoke.

"Where do you think he went?"

"Probably Mos Eisley to get a transport if I know my husband."

"Do you think there's any possibility he returned home?"

"Probably not. He said 'Goodbye Padmé Amidala Naberrie' which cannot be a good sign. He's never called me that before, ever. But then again I've never kicked him out of our home."

Obi-Wan sat in silence, contemplating the situation for what seemed like an eternity. Finally he spoke.

"I shall contact the council immediately. I shall also look at all the scheduled landings. If anyone tries to land on Coruscant, they must have scheduled it at least forty-eight hours in advance. That means if Anakin tries to get to Coruscant (which I believe he shall do) he will have had to find a transport scheduled to arrive here. I'll check any and all scheduled for stop offs at Tatooine today and all take offs for Coruscant. If he leaves the planet either on his scheduled departure tomorrow or on another one tonight, I'll find him."

"Thank you Obi-Wan," Padmé added in hopefully.

"But Padmé I must say that if Anakin ahs become a Sith I do not feel that you are safe on Tatooine. I believe that you must depart there immediately."

"Why?" she asked concerned.

"The Dark Side is not a thing to be toyed with. If Anakin ahs really turned than you cannot trust him with yourself let alone the child. I am sure the council shall send a knight to get you on Tatooine or at least a transport. Please stay available for the next twenty-four hours Padmé. I shall contact you as soon as possible."

"Thank you Obi-Wan."

"May the force be with you." Obi-Wan stated before turning off his transmitter.

Padmé turned off her transmitter and leaned back in her chair. Something told her these would be the most strenuous and nerve wracking twenty-four hours of her life.

End of Chapter Two

That's it for now. You just have to wait for some more. Now Obi-Wan's involved and Anakin's departing Tatooine. What shall become of our star crossed lovers and there child? Will Anakin even care about the child or shall he just abandon it as he is doing Padmé? And what of Padmé? Will she leave Tatooine for safety or will she wait for her husband to return, Sith or not? Tune in next time. (Man I sound like a TV show now -_-. BAD KITTY *slaps wrist*).

May the force be with you,

Aiko "Kitty" Skywalker


	4. Chapter Three

All You Mean To Me

By Aiko "Kitty" Skywalker

Chapter Three 

Anakin took a steady breath in, glancing out the side window of the freighter that would take him back to Coruscant. Sighing lightly, he leaned his head against the glass, allowing a soft tear of remorse fall down his cheek as they departed from Mos Eisley, skimming over the desert as they took off into the forever night skies of the deep and dank space.

Looking back towards the planet, he brushed away the tears that threatened to cloud his vision, taking in the view of his home planet, the planet that held his beloved wife and child within its sandy grasps.

After they had lost site of the planet, Anakin stood, heading towards the cockpit. Kio was there in the captain's chair, the first mate seat vacant beside him. Kio was busy trying to report in to Coruscant that they had departed a little ahead of schedule but would be there on the scheduled time. Once completed, he turned to look at Anakin who had taken the vacant co pilot seat.

"Sorry old friend I had to call in that we'd departed. Coruscant's tough on their regulations right now, especially since the Clone Wars have begun. We have to schedule our landings on Coruscant forty-eight hours in advance, not to mention tell the Coruscant patrols of our departure time from our last destination and any stop offs we have to make. I've scheduled this trip to Coruscant a week in advance; the early bird gets the okay, that's what I always say."

"Understandable. I remember last time the freighter picked us all up from Tatooine. They hadn't given enough noticed and we'd been turned around and sent to a nearby patrol station for a check out. Now that was a little bit less than pleasant." Said Anakin, remembering the distasteful memory of waiting for three days in a dank old space post that looked to be falling apart from the outside and worse in the inside.

"And it's because of horror stories like that that my saying came around." Kio laughed lightly.

Anakin couldn't help but smile. It was good to be in company of people like Kio, other pilots who made their shaky beginnings on Tatooine.

"Anakin," Kio said after a few minutes of silence, "would you mind if I asked why you and Padmé were fighting? In the year and a half I've known you I've never once heard you fight with her about anything. You had that little shrine of pictures that you'd collected of her over the years up in your ship, and you always carried around a collection of pictures in your jump suit pocket. Whatever happened?"

Anakin thought for a moment, watching and considering his wording carefully of this delicate situation.

"People change," replied Anakin.

"People change?"

"That's the only way I can really describe it." He stated calmly.

Kio kind of grimaced a bit and looked at Anakin.

"Huh, I thought for sure that you two would have a family one day." He said quietly, almost to himself than to Anakin as he looked up towards his top consol that was checking for any obstacles for their jump to hyperspace.

Anakin nodded his head sadly. Standing up he turned to leave the cockpit. But before he left he stopped, resting on hand on the left side of the doorframe.

"I gave her a family but she'll never give me one." He said sadly, leaving a confused Kio behind in his wake.

The next twenty-four hours were some of the most disturbing and nerve wracking in Padmé's life. She had stayed at the Lars residence the whole time, the sand storm not having lifted. Lying down on her coat, she stared at the transmitter beside the bed. Relaxing on her left side, she just continued to stare hopelessly on at the console of the Lars's ancient looking transmitter. Waiting…waiting…

The only sound that Padmé could hear within her ears was the silent beeping of R2D2, he faithful droid, in the background who Owen hopelessly was tinkering with. She had left Artoo with him a weak earlier, hoping that Owen could spare some time to do some clean up work on the little droid.

But unfortunately Owen always managed to mess up and break something on the little droid.

Beru stood in the doorway, leaning against the doorway, just staring at her brother-in-law's wife. She had never complained about being so far away from people, but inside she had longed for company. Being so far away from any outposts or people, she had been jumping for joy when Padmé and Anakin had moved out so close to her and Owen. Since they had moved to Tatooine nearly two years pervious, Beru had become good friends with Padmé and it pained her considerably to see Padmé in such a state.

Padmé continued to lie silently, although she could sense the presence of someone watching her. Knowing that it was Beru, Padmé opened her mouth slowly to speak to her.

"Come on in Beru instead of just standing at the doorway, you might as well."

Beru was obviously a bit surprised, but did as Padmé asked. Walking softly into the room, she took a seat in one of the chairs across the room. Pulling it closer to the bed, Beru just watched Padmé, awaiting her to say something.

Padmé continued to stare at the transmitter for a few moments and then finally, after deep thought and consideration spoke.

"I'm pregnant." She said softly yet dramatically, shocking Beru to the core. "That's one part of the story I didn't tell you."

Beru just watched her nervously, not sure what to do or say. Padmé eventually propped herself up on one elbow, her face in her hand.

After what seemed like an eternity of silence, finally Beru spoke.

"What does this mean?" she asked anxiously.

"I don't know," she stated. She hadn't anything really more to say and even if she would have been quickly interrupted by the buzzing sound of the transmitter. Glancing a Beru, nodding her head, she knew that Beru knew what she wanted her to do. Beru stood, nodding towards Padmé giving her a weak smile and then exiting the room. Padmé, after she was confident that Beru was gone, reached over touching the answer button on the transmitter.

"Obi-Wan?" she asked cautiously.

Obi-Wan's fuzzy holographic image appeared before Padmé and Padmé smiled in relief.

"Yes Padmé, its me." He stated warmly although she could tell that he was heavily sleep deprived, even without looking at the bags beneath his eyes.

"Any news?" she pushed.

Sighing, Obi-Wan took in a deep breath and nodded.

"Yes my friend. I have spoken with the Coruscant patrol and they have related to me a little bit about what's going on. There's only been two freighters to depart Tatooine for Coruscant in the past twenty-four hours, one that was the one Anakin was supposed to be on this morning and the other was a sip under the name _NightRider1_ piloted by Kio Dulli."

"Kio Dulli? Isn't he one of Anakin's friends form the navy?"

Nodding his head Obi-Wan continued. "Yes and it departed at the time Anakin would have departed at. It has one passenger aboard and that's all, no cargo or anything. More than likely Anakin aboard that ship. I've sent out a call to the Voyager, the freighter that Anakin was supposed to take to get here this morning and they report that Anakin is not aboard. I know that he is heading back to Coruscant right now I can feel it. The council has too. I have related your tale to them and they have instructed me on what to do next. I am to wait here on Coruscant for Anakin to arrive and try to talk to him. In any case, they have told me to track him but not stop him. We want to know where Palpatine's Sith base is and what's going on in there. After I have gathered the information I need I shall speak with him, try to persuade him to come back to us. Meanwhile Mace Windu is being sent to Tatooine. The council believes it is better that you depart the planet immediately. There is no doubt in their minds', as well as mine, that Anakin shall tell Palpatine of your pregnancy. Palpatine shall more than likely try to destroy the child or at least take it to be trained as a Sith. But if Mace can get you to safety before this can occur, your child, I'm sure, shall be safe and so shall you."

Padmé sat for a moment digesting the information and then found a hole in what he had said.

"Obi-Wan?"

"Yes?"

"What has the council ordered if you cannot persuade Anakin to rejoin the light side or at least quit the Sith?"

Obi-Wan sat in silence for a moment before answering.

"That is not important now Padmé."

"I want to know Obi-Wan."

"Its not important."

"I need to know." She said strongly.

Obi-Wan released a heavy sigh.

"They have ordered me to stop him, in any means necessary." He stated lowering his head. He couldn't bear to look Padmé in the eye, as though she were a plague, and illness of some kind.

Staring off into space for a moment, Padmé finally spoke.

"Please do not allow it to reach that point Obi-Wan. I beg you don't let it reach that point…"

Obi-Wan shook his head sadly.

"No guarantees Padmé, but I shall try my best."

"Thank-you Obi-Wan, that's all I ask."

"May the force be with you." Obi-Wan stated, bowing slightly and then ending the transmission.

Hitting off the transmitter, Padmé fell back into the pillows. But before she hit, her eyes caught onto the site of Beru standing in the doorway.

"You're leaving?" she asked shakily.

Padmé nodded her head sadly.

"I am afraid so Beru. But it is for the best. If not for me than for the child."

Beru nodded her head solemnly.

"I understand."

"Has the sand storm ended?"

Beru nodded her head softly.

"Good, Then Beru will you please accompany me back to my home? I have some packing to do."

End of Chapter Three

That's it for now. You just have to wait for some more. Hmm…hehe…no sounding like an old Batman commercial for me. OK so that's chapter three, many more to come. So that's a few questions answered, but what of Anakin and Obi-Wan's confrontation? And where shall Mace take Padmé, or shall he even come? I love filling people's heads with more questions. (I hope this isn't as big a cliff hanger as last time, but ya know what can I say, I'm a cliff hanger type of girl ;)).

May the force be with you,

Aiko "Kitty" Skywalker


	5. Chapter Four

All You Mean To Me

By Aiko "Kitty" Skywalker

Chapter Four 

Seven Months Later

Anakin turned heavily upon his heel, leaving the dusty imprint of his heal in the sand. Looking out upon the land, he studied the ancient landscape of the desolate planet that he stalked upon. He had come alone, freeing himself from his duties under Palpatine's cruel wing to continue his search. It had been seven months since he had last seen his wife Padmé, as well as heard anything about their child.

A lot had happened in those seven months since that fateful day on Tatooine. He was a Sith now, a real Sith, under the wing of Palpatine. He has lost his contacts with the Jedi, lost any feeling towards them at all. Freeing himself from what he believed was the heavy and binding chains that they had placed around his wrists, ankles, and neck, he was free, or so he thought.

Gazing about again, he was unable to see or sense a living form. Then, stalking back towards his land speeder, he took off again. He knew this planet well, like the back of his hand; he wasn't far from the place he once called home. This planet was Tatooine, and just as he had left it those fateful seven months ago, it was as sore on the soul as ever.

Stopping his land speeder in the same spot he used to leave it, he had a strange feeling of emptiness. This was the home he and Padmé had shared, but yet it was void of all life. Getting off his land speeder, he stalked towards the doorway. He already knew something was wrong as he approached the door, reaching out with the force for his wife. But yet, she was nowhere to be found. Entering into the house, his emotions whirled in his head. He allowed himself to continue walking inwards, looking back and forth in the house. The table was still set with the dishes Padmé had prepared for them those many months ago, the last meal they had eaten together, the chairs were stilled pulled away from the table as they had been when he had left, the food cooler was left ajar, just as Padmé had left it during there fight. It was as if nothing had changed. Had Padmé not been here since he had stormed out? Had she not stayed here when she had ordered him out? Was she no longer on Tatooine? Had she not waited for him?

The answers seemed clear to him. His anger welling up inside of him, he stalked farther into the house, the sheets of the bed were neatly pulled up as Padmé had left them, the refresher door was still open lightly and the closet near the end of the hall was shut tight.

She had left him.

"First the Jedi, now you Padmé!" he spat out. "Have I not gone through enough since that day seven months ago?" Clenching his left fist in a ball, he hurled it against the wall.

Calming himself slightly, he pushed those thoughts out of his mind. What had happened between him and Obi-Wan those seven months ago were nothing to be concerned about. He wasn't a Jedi anymore he was free.

Pushing himself to continue, he walked into their bedroom, the bed in which they had created the little life, which grew inside of his wife.

It was quiet, too quiet for Anakin. Whenever Anakin had come in at this time of the evening, he had been accustomed to seeing his dinner lying on the table for the flies and his wife lying in the bed, the soft sound of her breathing echoing in their small bed chamber. However, now all he could hear was the deafening sound of his shoes as they hit the floor and the loud pumping of his heart. His adrenalin pumped through him as he pushed himself towards the bed. Putting a hand onto the bed, his mind raced back to the last time he had come in late and left his wife unnoticed. The last time was when he had said he would come strait home from working with Owen for the day and he hadn't. Sitting on the edge of the bed, his mind silently lay amongst the memory.

"Good she's asleep,"

"Think again Flyboy,"

Resting his head in his hands, the voices continued.

"Your late,"

"I'm sorry Padmé,"

"You didn't call,"

"I love you,"

She would always soften up at those three little words. Letting the tears well in his eyes, he stood up again, heading over towards the closet. There were his clothes, still hanging from their hangers, and Padmé's were hanging loosely beside his. But yet many of Padmé's were gone. Yet, he noted, her wedding dress still hung there with her headpiece hanging over it. Letting more soft tears fall down his cheeks he reached out towards it, caressing the soft materials in between his gloved fingers.

It still held her sent within it.

Shacking his head in dismay he turned out of the closet. Taking one last look at their old bedroom, he turned and walked away. Looking about him again, he continued to walk. Taking one last step towards the door he could swear that he could still hear her voice screaming at him to get out. Putting one hand on the doorway he whispered the words that echoed in his mind, the last words he had ever said to his wife before leaving, not as Anakin, but as Vader, the last shreds of Anakin lost in his words and in his pain.

"Fine Mé I'll leave. Goodbye Padmé Amidala Naberrie."

Padmé laid her head against the side of the ship's window. Gazing out upon the cold and desolate planet beneath her, she rubbed her hand against her swollen womb. Mace and Yoda sat across from her in the passenger section of the small ship that they had purchased on the small, desolate and cold world called Xavier below them. Obi-Wan was in the cockpit with fellow Jedi Adi Gallia, who was flying the ship. The four Jedi were the last escapees of Coruscant, and they had been lucky to do so those six months ago. Many other Jedi on the planet had perished when Palpatine had given in to the separatists and then had been crowned Emperor by the separatists, bringing forth the great Empire which was head by a Sith. Padmé couldn't help but somehow blame herself, knowing that somehow if she hadn't kicked Anakin out she could have stopped him, therefore none of this would have happened. Everyone knew that this wouldn't have come to be had Palpatine not had Anakin as his loyal follower at his side as his strong right hand.

"Hmm…sense in you much dismay I do Lady Skywalker," came the voice of Yoda from the other side of the passenger bay.

"Yes Master Yoda," she stated. She had long since given up on trying to hide her emotions to Yoda; she was no good at it anyways.

"Your thoughts dwell on what happened seven months ago," Mace Windu stated earnestly.

"When don't they?" she asked back, trying to make it clear she didn't want to talk about it.

"Your fault, Lady Skywalker, it was not. Much fear I sensed in him for many years."

"I know Master Yoda," she stated calmly, keeping her eyes on the decreasingly visible planet behind them.

Yoda shook his head. "Not good it is to hide something that bothers a person so much."

Padmé sighed heavily and stood up. Stalking away from them, she headed towards the small cabin with only one bunk within it.

"If you would excuse me Masters, I am tired. I must take advantage of the sleep that I can manage to get while these two take a break from kicking." Placing one hand onto her back and the other on her belly she pushed away from them and towards the cabin.

Walking only a few steps farther, she placed herself down on the bunk. Rubbing her swollen womb again, she reached out lightly with the force, as Obi-Wan had taught her to do, and feel the health of her babies. She had known that it was going to be twins for nearly three months now that was the last time she had managed to get to a doctor. That was when they stopped off on the small and quaint planet of Alderaan, a planet that had great ties to the Naboo. Both she and Obi-Wan were friends with the leader of the Royal Family there, the former senator of Alderaan, Bail Organa. Bail Organa had offered to hide her and the children there on Alderaan until a few things cooled off but Master Yoda foresaw a danger in this. Sure enough Anakin, now under his alias name Darth Vader, went to Alderaan two months later for a routine check of the planet's main databanks, making sure that there were no rebel plans stored in the databanks there.

"How are you this evening you two?" she asked as she prodded her two young offspring. As though they were beside her the reached up towards her with tiny force bonds, placing a smile on her face. Her arms nestled her swollen womb lightly as she sat on her bunk and rocked back and forth, singing a calming lullaby, that although she knew the twins couldn't hear, calmed her. Soon she rest her head against the pillows, one hand close to a blaster that Adi Gallia had placed in there for Padmé's mental well being and the other, instinctively, on her womb as she snuggled closer into the pillows. She was not quite used to the idea of safety, and although she knew she was safe in the small ship, she still needed a blaster close at hand. The last seven months had been hell for her, traveling from planet to planet, often traveling to planets and systems controlled by the huts, or even the republic, where she was always on her lookout for Storm Troopers, troops of the newly established Empire.

Finally she calmed herself enough to relax her hand that clenched near the blaster and relax it at her side.

"Good night you two," she whispered before drifting off into sleep.

Darth Vader marched slowly down the halls of Emperor Palpatine's ship the _Rancor_. It was the pride and joy of the Imperial Navy's Fleet and often carried Emperor Palpatine to his destinations, not that he left Coruscant often.

Taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly, he punched the activation on the final door he needed to pass through, entering into Palpatine's long and gargantuan quarters, in which he commanded the ship. He sat alone on a thrown like seat at the far side, a fair distance from when Vader stood and his back was turned, looking out the floor to ceiling windows that were edged into the metal structure surrounding them. Palpatine was alone in the room, besides his Royal Guards that stand post at strategically planned positions throughout the gargantuan room.

Vader looked around him for a moment, noting the position of every one of them, knowing that each time he entered they were in different positions.

Finally he stepped forwards, his footsteps breaking the deafening silence that, for a time being, was only disturbed by the silent humming of the great machines within the station. The _Rancor_ was more a battle station than an Imperial Star Cruiser.

"Ah, Lord Vader, my young right hand apprentice, you have returned to me." Palpatine stated, still looking out of his windows. Vader could not see any part of Palpatine, but he knew for a fact where he was, he could sense where Palpatine sat, strait up yes shoulders slightly hunched forwards in his traditional position that he had gained through the years. Although the Emperor's wits were sharp and his health was a good as it had ever been, Palpatine still had the effects of age poring down upon him. But it had never stopped him before.

And the waving of Palpatine's hand only proved Vader's notion to where Palpatine sat. He beckoned his Royal Guard to leave them, signifying an earnest importance to talk with Vader.

Once Palpatine knew the Royal Guard had departed, he turned his chair to face Vader. His face was pulled into an emotionless state, but yet Vader knew it was only so that he could probe his young apprentice for a reaction.

Vader dismissed this; it was of no real importance to him. 

"Master I have failed my mission,"

"The girl, still alive?"

"Yes, my master," he stated bowing to Palpatine. "Amidala is alive, I can sense it. But where, I am afraid, I do not know. The Jedi must have placed a strong blockade around her. It is impossible to feel where she is at any given time."

Palpatine seemed, for a moment, to be deliberating what Vader had just told him before spitting out at him.

"You must find her Lord Vader. Her political power makes for a strong enemy within her. I have known her for many years now she is loyal to the Republic and democracy. You must crush her like the bug she is, before she can infest herself into the underground political systems. Her ideals could soon gain enough allies to rally an underground resistance, which I do not need at this point, in which my Empire is flourishing. Have I made myself clear, Lord Vader?"

"Yes, my master,"

"You are currently dismissed from any other duties that I have previously asked you to fulfill until the death of Amidala has been completed. This is your duty Lord Vader, and it shall only prove your loyalty to me."

"My loyalty to you, master, is forever."

"Good, but remember Lord Vader, Amidala is Anakin's wife, and Anakin ceased to be those many months ago. It is Master Kenobi's fault that Anakin is dead now remember that. She is allies with him, she is allies with the Jedi, and remember what they did to you."

Vader's anger welled up inside of him. The Jedi. How he despised the term. Clenching his left, robotic hand, in a fist he fought back the urge to drive it into the floor below him. Clenching his teeth, he listened as his Master continued.

"Oh and Lord Vader, how is your hand these days?"

Vader looked up at Palpatine, his eyes cast in anger.

"As well as can be expected, master," he stated calmly. 

"No problems with the circuitry?"

"It was better done than when my right was severed in the wars, master,"

"Good. Now you are dismissed."

"Of course Master," he stated calmly, bowing again and turning on his heel, flapping his black cape behind him as he walked away, his black armor shining lightly in the dimmed lights of the chamber.

Palpatine watched idly as Vader fled the room. Knowing that dutifully, Vader would promise to complete his task, he knew indeed that the man could not. Somewhere deep inside, Anakin still had control of Vader, although the pervious experiences that created Vader were still hot in his mind. Amidala would live, he knew, until Anakin had died.

And that was a task that would need some work, Palpatine knew. Anakin was a determined man, and in his heart he was still the newly knighted Jedi who was knighted during the Clone Wars.

And that is what frightened the Emperor the most.

Vader's mind drifted back and forth from thought to thought. Walking the halls of the station towards bay fifty-six where his personal ship lay, his mind roamed awkwardly to his orders.

Amidala…dead?

The first time he had gotten those orders, Anakin inside of his head pleaded with him to say no. Yet Vader had agreed but he knew that he couldn't kill her, he wouldn't kill her, at least not until the child was born.

The child…that was something that often plagued Vader's mind. Somehow he had been unable to tell the Emperor about his wife's pregnancy, more than likely it was Anakin's doing. But still he didn't know why he didn't tell the Emperor, Anakin had died when Vader had walked out of his old home on Tatooine twenty-four hours ago, right?

Grumbling horribly within his mind, he entered into the docking bay and walked stealthily over towards his ship. Entering into the small, yet comfortable, starship that he had personally designed himself, adapting the plans of the Tie Bomber that he had finalized himself while combining it with the size of a small starship. It had stealth, strength, maneuverability, and speed to outmatch any other in the fleet. It could make it point five past light speed comfortably without a hesitation within seconds and could out run any Republican Starfighters left in the galaxy, easy for hunting down fugitives in the Empire's eyes. It was everything he had ever wanted in a ship, even in his waning days of Anakin, but yet this time as he approached the ramp and entered into the ship, it felt empty. Somewhere deep inside he had been praying to the force that when he left Tatooine he would have his beautiful wife beside him and would be presenting her to Palpatine, carrying his child. He had prepared for her arrival, even had the whole thing cleaned inside and out. He had made sure that there was room for her in the cabin and it would be suitable for her, but yet now he realized that he had had all of that done for no reason. She wouldn't be coming.

And that is what pained him the most.

But he somehow managed to push that from his mind as he headed over towards the controls. The doors of the ship closed behind him as he whipped his cape behind him. Entering through the doorway of the cabin he took a few moments to look about it. It was void of life within except for him, and it made him shiver. Taking a look at the empty co pilot seat beside him, he had suddenly gotten the image of his wife sitting there, one little energetic baby girl with brown hair and eyes sitting on her lap and a little boy with eccentric and electrifying blue eyes that enticed and exploded with innocence, knowledge, and wonderment with blonde hair standing on the captain's chair, reaching up towards him with cubby little hands with an expression of wonderment on his face.

But as quickly the image had come it was gone. Padmé's smile was gone from his mind, the little girl sitting on her lap had relapsed into the imagination and the little boy, and the tiny boy that enticed him and freed something inside of him had disappeared and gone back into nothingness.

What had happened Vader didn't know. All he knew was that this would not be the last time he would ever see these three, and he knew it for the silent little voices that he had managed to quiet within his mind and body, his midichlorians, told him so.

Taking his seat in the captain's chair, he still couldn't rid himself of the feeling of emptiness. Yet he fought it out of his mind. It wouldn't control him. He wouldn't let it control him. He couldn't let it control him.

Placing his hands on the controls, he sent in his codes to open the tractor beam and release his ship from the _Rancor_'s control. Than he took off, and once away from the _Rancor_ he set course for where he was going, a place where he knew if anyone knew anything on Padmé's whereabouts they would know it there: back to Tatooine.

Padmé lay still upon her bunk. She had long since awoken in the dismal darkness of the cabin and because of the silence outside of her room she knew that the others were asleep.

Relaxing in the silence of her room, she shivered lightly because of the coldness of space. Wrapping her arms around her womb, she protectively tried to warm the children, although she knew they were warm enough.

She began to settle herself in again, relaxing in her moments of peace where the children were unmoving within her womb and she could rest. But that was when her silent thoughts were disturbed by a quiet rapping at her door.

"Come in," she stated softly yet firmly.

It was Obi-Wan. He opened the door and reached over and turned on the light.

"The others are asleep. I don't want to disturb them with the light and I had a feeling you were awake. May I come in?"

Padmé nodded her head. Sitting up strait she beckoned for Obi-Wan to come in and close the door behind him. Nodding, Obi-Wan walked in and shut the door behind him. Taking a seat on the far edge of the bed, he looked hard at Padmé.

"How are the children?" he asked looking at her swollen belly than back at her.

"As well as can be expected, Obi-Wan."

"Good," he seemed to be thinking about what to say for a while since a disturbing silence followed. Finally, clearing his throat, he continued.

"I have received a message from Beru back on Tatooine."

"Oh?" Padmé asked, raising an eyebrow at the mention of her step-sister-in-law.

"Yes, she was quite urgent in fact," he stated, "it seems Anakin returned to Tatooine."

"What? When?"

"Yesterday," Obi-Wan answered. "Beru was returning from Mos Eisley market when she spotted Anakin's speeder outside of your old home. She saw him come out and then take off on his land speeder. She was afraid that he would return to the Lars Homestead but luckily he did not."

"Why do you think he was there?"

"To find you most likely," Obi-Wan stated in all seriousness. "More than likely he wants to know of the child. Sith or not, I have a feeling he has a deep caring for the child that he knows you are bearing. Well caring is not quite the word I believe that he wants it, possibly under Palpatine's orders. If Palpatine knows of your pregnancy he shall want the child. More than likely he wants to raise the child as a Sith and when he is strong enough, exterminate Anakin and use the child. A child brought up in the ways of the Sith never knowing of anything else is less likely to turn than one that has been brought up as a Jedi and knowing the happiness and freedom of love. This is what the Sith were famous for in our records, train one and after their training is complete, exterminate the other one to take that one's place."

"Makes sense," she stated calmly.

"And once Palpatine has the child he shall be rid of you, you know that don't you?"

Padmé looked up and nodded.

"I have a feeling that Palpatine wants me gone, bearing a child or not."

"Why is that?"

"He's afraid of me, always has been and I believe always will be. He knows that as queen I politically reigned over him. Unfortunately I was young and naive. I am confident, as is he, that is I were older and more experienced I would have seen what he was doing during the invasion upon Naboo." Nodding her head sagely, she continued. "He, as well as I know that if I were not bearing these children inside of me I would be heavily politically active in the underground systems, growing support for the rebellion. If I did not have the restraint, more the responsibility of mother hood on my shoulders I would be trying to rally up a rebellion."

"And I, my dear friend, would be beside you." Obi-Wan smiled. "Now try to get your rest. I'm sorry for bringing this disturbing news to you now, I just believed you should know."

Padmé smiled then frowned again. All this talk of her former husband and his evil tendencies frightened her and scarred her to the bone.

"Please Obi-Wan, leave me," She said after a few moments.

"Why?"

"I just wish to be alone with me thoughts."

Sighing heavily Obi-Wan prodded her mind lightly, coming out with the thoughts he knew he'd find.

"He's gone Padmé, you know that."

"I know," she stated softly.

"What happened wasn't your fault."

"I know," she returned, forcefully.

"Padmé please, don't hide your feelings."

"I don't want to talk about it Obi-Wan, please respect my request. I don't want to talk about what happened seven months ago."

Obi-Wan gave her arm a reassuring squeeze before standing and turning to leave. But before he left he looked back at her.

"By the way, we're heading to one of the moons of Yavin, the fourth to be exact. There are ancient Jedi temples there, which are a haven for the Jedi Masters. No Sith would dare step foot within those temples, I believe we shall be safe there. More than likely there are other Jedi already there. It shall be a good place for your last month of pregnancy."

"Thank-you Obi-Wan,"

"We'll be landing in approximately twelve hours. Now rest, we shall have a big day ahead of us when we arrive."

End of Chapter Four

That's it for now. You just have to wait for some more. Well this took a different spin than I thought. It adds a little more surprise to it all. Hmmm…I wonder what happened seven months ago that angered Anakin so much and frightened Padmé? Hehe…I know, but do you? Nope, of course not. OK I better stop trying to be smug it isn't working. Anyways sorry about the long title and the late arrival, my screen broke and ff.n has been down for a little while so I haven't updated. 

Make sure to e-mail me at aiko_kitty_skywalker@hotmail.com or review. I would really appreciate people's input on how the story is going.

May the force be with you,

Aiko "Kitty" Skywalker


	6. Chapter Five

All You Mean To Me

By Aiko "Kitty" Skywalker

Chapter Five

Padmé lazily kicked off her shoes as she dipped her feet into the edge of the water. Yavin IV was not just famous for its ancient monuments and temples, but for its gorgeous an delicious sceneries. She enjoyed lazing about there, dipping her feet into the water off of one of the old docks that Jedi Padawans had once built when the Jedi once were stationed out on this planet.

Smiling to herself, she felt a slight kick in her stomach. Rubbing it lightly, she hummed quietly to herself, as though she were quieting the entities within her. With her smile still spread out across her face and her feet still lazily gracing the water, she leaned back across the dock resting her tired form.

"Are you two alright in there this morning?"

As though to respond to their mother, Padmé felt two quick kicks, one from each of the twins.

A tear silently dawned upon her cheek. The two were listening as her husband used to do those long and lonely nights on Tatooine during the storms of in the early days of the marriage sitting tight on Naboo waiting the time when they could announce their marriage.

Things had changed since then and she knew they would never – could never be the same. For some time she had felt she had no one who would listen to her for the young souls inside of her womb had not developed very much. Even Obi-Wan, Mace or even Master Yoda knew how to listen to her as Anakin has listened to her. Now the twins were there and she was never alone.

But how much longer would this last? One month, two months? Time etched its way into her mind. She has not yet been confronted about it but she knew what the Jedi were planning, the separation of the twins and their mother. It would be for the best, she knew, but it pained her just the same.

Would it really be the graciousness of the force to separate her from her children? She didn't know. All that she knew was that they had to survive, they were the only hope of the galaxy and somehow she knew that one day they would rescue them from the hellish pits of a depressed mind that clenched a tight and binding fist around the galaxy.

Hearing the footsteps behind her, she turned calmly to see the face of Obi-Wan that was looking down at Padmé. Not quite sure what he was doing there with her she beckoned for him to sit down.

Obi-Wan pulled off his boots and socks and took a seat next to Padmé and dipped his feet into the cool water.

"I remember Qui-Gon once took me here for long periods of meditation and a peaceful atmosphere for training. I built one of my lightsabers here when mine was broken in a sparring session against Qui-Gon. Force, it's been a long time since I've been here."

"I've never been here before." She stated simply. After a few moments of silence she continued. "I guess that's because this place is a sacred place having been used for many civilizations in the past as their holy place, not just an ancient Jedi training ground. I was even told once that an ancient Sith Lord died here in an ancient dark temple."

"Exar Kun," Obi-Wan stated calmly.

"Exar Kun?"

"That was the Sith's name." Obi-Wan answered. "And according to old Jedi documents of the four millennia ago in which he lived the Jedi went to Yavin IV to capture Exar Kun who was actually a fallen Jedi Padawan. But Kun, knowing that he could not live through the attacks summoned his dark energies of the Sith and sealed his consciousness into the walls of a dark temple here on Yavin IV. His followers, the Massassi warriors, built that temple. He was one of the greatest and most dangerous Sith's of all time, before the days of a Sith named Darth Bane who restricted the Sith rules, Kun turned many Jedi Padawans against their masters. Legend has it that his disembodied spirit still lies inside one of those temples where his body rested."

"How did the Jedi know this?"

"They found his temple and his body. Somehow he was dead but they saw no reason why he should have died. But an evil feeling was gained from that place. They no longer have the records of where this temple was."

"Are you sure it still exists?"

"No clue. It has been four millennia since the days of Kun."

"Do you think his spirit still wonders this land?"

"I don't know. But I know I have not sensed anything yet dear Padmé so I do not think you have anything to fear."

The two sat in silence for a long time after this moment. Padmé didn't really let her mind wonder to an ancient fallen Jedi, for her thoughts were already captivated upon the most recent fallen Jedi. Somehow she could tell that Obi-Wan, who had not looked at her the whole time he had been with her on the dock, had not been thinking of Exar Kun either.

"You came to talk to me about Vader, didn't you?"

Obi-Wan didn't look at Padmé when he responded. "Yes,"

"You've come to talk about the separation, haven't you?"

"Yes,"

"I know what you're going to say it's for the best. It'll be safer for if Vader ever finds any one of he wont necessarily fined the others. I know its for the best Obi-Wan but I'm not sure if I can…"

"Do it? I know Padmé. But I am agreeing with Adi, Mace and Yoda on this one. The separation must take place."

Padmé nodded her head solemnly.

"I understand. But tell me Obi-Wan where shall the twins go?"

"Right now I'm not quite so sure. If Vader didn't know of the twin's or at least one of the twin's existence than I would send one of them to Tatooine. I know Vader wants nothing to do with Tatooine. But once he thinks the children have been born he shall surely go to Tatooine in search of the only child he thinks he has. I have considered Alderaan but I know Vader surely knows of our ties to Alderaan."

"Than what are we supposed to do?"

"Patience Padmé. We have come up with an idea. What is I take one of the children and find a far out outpost, possibly on Iego or even a planet like Xavier…"

"Xavier is full of crooks and thieves!"

"I know but at least it isn't under Republican Control Padmé."

"That deals with one of them, what about the other?"

Obi-Wan sat thinking for quite some time and then finally spoke.

"Yoda, Mace, Adi and I shall be separating once the twins are born and we have decided where they are going. Yoda knows where he shall be departing to, a quiet, and force filled jungle planet called Dagobah. Mace has considered Endor.  Adi is not sure yet where she is going to go but has almost decided to travel different planets. We have news of a weapon development on Geonosis, which has become a large outpost for Palpatine's new clone troopers who he now calls Storm Troopers. She can lie undetected there for months and then travel to other planets, even suggest Coruscant. Adi has no problem lying undetected, she is good at that."

"I know she is. I do not doubt it. But what about me?"

"You, Padmé, are a whole other issue." Obi-Wan stated. "I wished to come to you now so you can think about it. We can give you know guidance of where to go; you must decide that within you heart. Where your home shall be is where your heart shall let it be, we cannot take you to a place or tell you tog o to a place where your heart tells you not to be." Obi-Wan stated solemnly.

"What are you saying?"

"You must decide this on your own. We must know by the time the twins are born. But until then we do not want an answer. Think about it Padmé, it could be one of the biggest decisions you ever make."

"And the children?"

"Again Padmé you must decide. You are their mother. We cannot choose for you. Only you have the power to speak to them, to find out their needs and wants. Now I must go meditate, I feel a need to meditate over the current situation, I have not been able to do that in quite a while."

"Thank you Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan smiled and placed a hand on Padmé's womb, prodding the children with the force. Smiling he knew then the truth of them.

"They are the last hope of the galaxy. Have a good day Padmé." He said and put on his boots, walking away.

Vader's face was pulled into a tight grimace as he lifted Bail Organa up into the air by his neck. Squeezing tightly, he enjoyed watching Bail fight back against Vader's force, as Vader knew he was squirming for breath.

"Not Organa you can see my power. Now tell me, where is my wife?"

Bail managed to rasp out a few words. "Please…I don't know where she is!"

Vader grew angry at the endless response from Organa. Using very little of his strength he threw Organa effortlessly into the wall at the far end of the courtroom. Organa's body crumpled limply into a ball, as it seems Organa's body was failing him.

Then Vader stalked towards him. Once again lifting him, this time by the collar of his shirt, he peered into Organa's eyes that slowly opened.

"I have threatened your life, the lives of your people and still you do not tell me where she is. I shall ask once more. Where is she?"

Organa stared in agony into the eyes of his tormentor. Truly he did not know where she was or even whether she was still with Obi-Wan or not. All that he knew was that she had left Alderaan months ago.

"I don't know…" he rasped out, shutting his eyes tightly in fear.

Vader dropped him painfully to the ground. Watching him pull himself up onto his knees, he clenched his hands together painfully staring up at Vader while he rambled off words for mercy. Vader raised his hand to strike him and Organa pulled his hands in front of his face, shutting his eyes tightly.

It seemed like an eternity Vader stood, hand raised to strike and Organa kneeling there, cowering and trying to be strong, hands covering his face.

Vader dropped his hand and stared down at the pitiful man before him. He was a powerful political man, strong and brave, but in the hands of Vader he was nothing. If just goes to show you the power of the dark side.

Vader walked distastefully past the man, brushing him on his way out of the courtroom. Bail's eyes cautiously opened to see no Vader before him and he turned about painfully to see Vader depart, his black cape waving behind him to continue his search.

Five Weeks Later

Padmé lay back painfully on her bed within an old Jedi Temple on Yavin IV. She rested her head amongst the pillows as trails of cool sweat pooled down her forehead and cheeks.

Through all the pain she had in her body, through all the relief she had that it was over, she couldn't do anything but listen to the wailing of two tiny babes being cleaned diligently by Adi Gallia.

She opened her eyes weakly to see Adi walk towards her bedside, the two wailing bundles wrapped tightly in her arms. She smiled at Padmé speaking to her calmly and asking something about Padmé wanting to hold the babies.

Padmé really didn't hear her. She just opened up her arms eagerly. Adi smiled and put the two babies in their mother's arms. Immediately the wailing stopped as Padmé murmured quietly to the two babies words of comfort and caring.

Adi watched Padmé hold the two young children in her arms. Padmé was smiling brightly and although Adi knew that much sweat pealed down her face, she could have sworn that, although she could be mistaken for it could have been sweat, that Padmé was crying.

Padmé finally tore her eyes off of the young babies. Looking up at the only other person in the room besides her and her babies, she smiled even brighter if possible at Adi.

"Thank you," she said meekly.

"Your welcome," she replied cheerily back as Obi-Wan knocked timidly at the door. Adi looked at him and then spoke. "You may enter, Master Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan walked in with as much composure as he could muster after not having slept in forty-eight hours. Yoda and Mace walked in gracefully behind the tired Jedi Knight, both having been able to sleep during the two days of Padmé's labor.

"Hey Padmé," Obi-Wan said softly walking to her bedside.

"Hey Obi," she said softly her head resting in the pillows as the two babies, a girl and a boy, nestled into her chest.

Yoda smiled lightly at Padmé. He knew how close she had become to Obi-Wan and although he usually disliked Jedi behind known strictly by their first names he was proud of Obi-Wan for his friendship with the dearest Padmé, mother of the newest hopes of the galaxy.

"Do you want to hold them?" Padmé asked looking in between the Jedi.

Mace politely refused while Yoda and Obi-Wan took a child a piece. Obi-Wan held the little girl within his arms and prodded the young girl with the force lightly, seeing how force gifted she was. Yoda did the same with the little boy, his eyes shut tightly closed, in a state near meditation in deep and complete thought. Finally he opened his eyes, staring at the little boy who was staring up at Yoda in wonderment.

"Yes, true what I thought is, the boy must be trained."

Obi-Wan nodded his head sagely. "The girl as well although I can feel that the boy is more gifted."

"Like his father he is." Yoda completed staring deeply into the captivating blue eyes of the boy.

Adi looked towards Padmé and smiled.

"Do you have a name for them?"

"The girl," Padmé stated taking the young girl from Obi-Wan who had been handing her over, "is Leia. The boy," she took the little boy in her other arm and cradled them both close, "it Luke."

"Luke and Leia. I like your choices lady Skywalker." Mace stated.

"Anakin once told me that if he had a child the boy would be named Luke and the girl would be named Leia. Although I hope that Anakin never confront his children, if he ever does, I want the Anakin Skywalker that I love, although deeply hidden beneath the folds of evil, to know that on the day they were born I still loved him and that I will always love him."

Obi-Wan smiled lightly although tears began to slowly well in his eyes. He stalked over closer to Padmé. Kneeling beside her bed he looked over at the twins than at her, deeply in the eyes.

"I promise you Padmé that I shall not rest until I know Anakin is back with us, whether I die or whether I do not."

End of Chapter Five

That's it for now. You just have to wait for some more. Ok so I've added the twins' birth in there. Sorry I'm skipping time a lot right now but those five weeks aren't important. But please remember to keep in mind the seven months that passed between chapter three and chapter four. 

Make sure to e-mail me at aiko_kitty_skywalker@hotmail.com or review. I would really appreciate people's input on how the story is going.

May the force be with you,

Aiko "Kitty" Skywalker


	7. Chapter Six

All You Mean To Me

By Aiko "Kitty" Skywalker

Chapter Six 

Vader's sharp breath echoed through the cockpit of his strong and sturdy star ship. It had been nearly a month and a half since he had begun his search for his wife to not prevail.

He had begun to lose all hope of finding his wife. It was as if she had disappeared from the face of the galaxy.

That was until he had come across what looked like a ship he had once seen in the Jedi garages which were attached to the once standing Jedi Temple in a junk yard dealer's shop on a small criminal planet of Xavier. After having spoken, more like threatened, the dealer into telling him who had sold him the ship, Vader had managed to determine who the ones who had sold the vehicle (it turns out they had traded the vehicle). He had narrowed it down to Master Yoda, Master Windu, Madam Adi Gallia, Master Kenobi, and his own dear wife, the very pregnant Padmé.

He had since then been on the trail of an old junk freighter, whose identification codes he had given to him by the junk yard dealer. After stopping at numerous different space outposts in which the freighter would have passed and looking at the recording in those outposts, he had determined where the ship, in vicinity, was heading.

The Yavin system.

Which narrowed it down a lot. There was only one inhabitable planet in the Yavin system, well more like a moon actually. This planet was Yavin IV.

Grinning to himself he punched in the coordinates for hyperspace. Once in hyperspace he immediately went to work contacting the Emperor.

Soon a holographic image of the Emperor appeared.

"Master I have news," stated the solemn Sith, "I have managed to track down where I believe the rebels are. They are on a lonely moon, Yavin IV."

"How can you be so sure Lord Vader?"

"Because, Master, I have tracked them into the Yavin system and there is only one inhabitable planet in the Yavin system, a moon by the name of Yavin IV, sire."

"Excellent work Lord Vader, see to it you kill Lady Skywalker and any companions she has with her. I was this finished, do I make myself clear Lord Vader?"

"Crystal, sire," he said before the emperor terminated the connection. Vader lay his head down solemnly on the control panel of his ship, his scarred cheeks pressing onto the cool metal of the control panel. "How am I going to do this?" he questioned as his thoughts ranted deeply in his head. "How in deed."

Padmé sat solemnly and alone upon the docks, her feat lazily brushing the water as she gracefully held Luke in her arms as she fed him, a solemn expression on her face. Leia lay besides her, rapped tightly in blankets as Yavin's cool fall hit them briskly. It was a short winter and fall, no snow but endless rains and cool weather. But she would take advantage of the reasonable conditions of the day to enjoy the calm waters and cool atmosphere.

It was tranquil; it was brilliantly beautiful; nothing could wreck her mood.

That was until Obi-Wan entered into the picture.

"Padmé you must come towards the temple," he commanded quickly.

Padmé raised her head to gaze into Obi-Wan's worried eyes. "What's going on?"

"Yoda has sensed an imperial shuttle heading towards us now. We must hurry. Master Yoda, Master Windu, and Madam Gallia sense that someone knows where we are and their power is incredibly dark. It could be Vader himself. You must hurry and we must prepare for departure. If the shuttle continues on its current course towards us we must evacuate."

Padmé's eyes lit up and she scooped Leia up into her arms next to Luke. Leia was temporarily startled and released a cry of fright and began to cry harshly and Luke soon joined in, angered that he was interrupted during his feeding.

Padmé rocked the two back and forth lightly, calming them as she followed Obi-Wan back to the temple that they were staying in.

Yoda's eyes clouded over in deep thought when he finally opened them after a long period of meditation and sensing. Padmé, Adi, Mace and Obi-Wan were around him. Finally he spoke.

"Lost the location of the ship I have," he stated, "suddenly disappeared it seems to have done."

The four Jedi exchanged glances as Padmé glanced about in wonderment.

"Clocking?" Obi-Wan questioned.

"Possibly Master Obi-Wan," Mace stated solemnly.

"Is there a possibility that the ship wasn't even there? That possibly it was a trick?" Padmé asked.

"A trick it was not," Yoda answered, "but wait and see we shall, Lady Skywalker." Yoda stood from his position cross-legged on the floor. "Meditate on this I must. Prepare to leave, you all must incase the ship I find."

Little did they know that it was all ready too late.

Vader lowered his ship to the group of Yavin IV. He closed his eyes for a moment searching out for the small group. Unable to feel them, not even a void that would be left because of clocking, he pulled out his communicator.

"Master," he said as a hologram of his master appeared, "I have arrived on the planet but I cannot find any of them. But I know they are here. But where is the question."

"Hmmm…this is an interesting development Lord Vader," Palpatine answered, "I think I may be able to help."

"How, my master?"

"Do you remember the story of Exar Kun?"

"Yes, master,"

"Search out his resting place, Lord Vader, I believe that maybe it is time to awaken the great Sith from his slumber. It is time to grasp complete control of the galaxy and Kun can help us."

"Of course, my master,"

Vader's eyes were locked closed as stood before the inscriptions of the Sith Temple. Placing a hand to the wall, he concentrated.

"I summon thou, Exar Kun, from your slumber to thee. The time has come for the Sith to reign, awaken now for today."

Darkness fell across the land and Yavin IV seemed suspended in a moment of time. The only thing that broke the silence was the loud, sudden, and piercing scream of Vader.

End of Chapter Six

That's it for now. You just have to wait for some more. Ok so I've added a new twist here. Hehe, now it is time for the entrance of another Sith Lord, on with the darkness of time on his side. 

Make sure to e-mail me at aiko_kitty_skywalker@hotmail.com or review. I would really appreciate people's input on how the story is going.

May the force be with you,

Aiko "Kitty" Skywalker


	8. Chapter Seven

I don't own Star Wars so DON'T SUE!

Please read and review.

All You Mean To Me

By Aiko "Kitty" Skywalker

Chapter Seven 

****

Padmé's breath caught in her throat as Yavin IV grew dark. Her eyes grew wet and wild as they searched frantically the scenery. She seemed for a moment to be suspended in time, hanging by a thread. Scared beyond her wildest dreams, she pressed her eyes closed as she felt like she was falling. She tightened her grasp on the twins who both were stunned with fear.

Darkness reigned and Padmé could feel it all. She could feel the tumbling and shaking, she could feel the darkness surrounding her an engulfing her. She knew something was wrong and for a brief glimmer of a moment she could hear Anakin call out for help.

"ANI!" she screamed loudly and clasped forwards into the darkness as if Anakin were there.

Obi-Wan dashed into the room. Quickly he grasped a hold of Luke and Padmé (who was holding Leia at the time) and pulled both of them out of the room. He cradled Luke strongly in his arms while leading Padmé towards where they had hidden their ship.

"Obi-Wan what's going on?"

"No time to explain now Padmé, we must get you and the twins off the planet."

Mace was standing outside of the ship on the loading platform, the winds that had picked up since the planet had gone dark blowing his cloak about. Yoda was already inside in his seat in the small passenger room of the ship behind the cockpit and Adi was up front, preparing the ship for take off. Quickly Mace pulled Padmé aboard the ship with the twins and ushered them all into the ship before closing the loading platform. As soon as it was closed Adi took off, not waiting another moment.

"What's going on?" Padmé demanded again, pushing herself down into a seat, and taking Luke from Obi-Wan, cradling both the crying babies in her arms.

"Its Darth Vader," Obi-Wan finally stated, "he's on Yavin IV."

"Quite and he's summoned the spirit of Exar Kun," Mace concluded while entering back into the room from the cockpit where he had joined Adi at the beginning of the flight after ushering Padmé and Obi-Wan into the ship.

"Exar Kun? Wasn't he that Sith you told me about Obi-Wan whose spirit was believed to be lying in the walls of one of the Sith temples?"

"Quite, Lady Skywalker, and there is much to fear from Exar Kun. He is known to many Jedi as being the strongest Sith ever to exist. Now that he has been summoned, there may be no end to Palpatine's evil reign."

"But Obi-Wan told me himself that Exar Kun is only a spirit. How can he be unleashed? I mean what sort of trouble can a spirit cause?"

"Lady Skywalker there is none unless a host is found." Mace stated, looking towards Yoda whose eyes were closed in concentration and meditation.

"A host?"

"Yes, Padmé, a host. This is someone who the spirit lives within, a body the spirit preoccupies. It is usually the one who summons the spirit or else the closest available body in which the spirit is happy with."

"Anakin?" she asked, tears welling in her eyes.

Mace and Obi-Wan exchanged worried glances.

"Vader, Exar Kun has taken. Host he has become." Yoda finally stated opening his eyes. "No more is Vader, only Kun."

From the darkened Sith Temple on Yavin IV a shacking hand emerged. Basked with blood, the hand pulled a pained body from the temple. Pushing himself up, the body straitened, covered with blood and sweat from the explosion of energy.

Looking down at the cuts and scars across his body, the form closed his eyes, allowing the dark energies to flow through. All around him there was a blackened mist, formed by the dark energies. Striking out into the mist, the mist separated into what seemed like millions of little shards. Smiling, the shards seemed to latch onto the body, healing the cuts and blood.

But from within the darkness came a white mist, a mist that seemed to form a hand. This bright light reached out towards him, and he could almost hear the soft voice of Padmé Amidala pleading towards him to take hold.

But the darkness claimed his soul, covered his body. The cold darkness empowered him. It didn't matter anymore if the light reached out towards him, for no longer would there be even a glimmer of a positive response.

Igniting the red blade at his side, he struck out, cutting the white mist in two.

Laughing he swung the blade aloft impressed by his new body's capabilities and speed the rivaled his body of old, possibly even surpassed it.

Exar Kun was born within the black mists of darkness, the sign of the Sith.

Kun looked on towards the sky, as the healing ended and his health returned to its peak. He watched simply as a small silver ship departed out of the atmosphere and into the stars.

It was of no importance to Exar Kun. They would be caught.

Firs the must contact the man known as Palpatine, who his body was calling for him to contact.

"Lord Palpatine," Kun stated coldly, "you're saying that you rule this galaxy?"

"As Emperor, Lord Kun," Palpatine's face pulled into a fiendish smile.

"A Sith ruling the galaxy, this is an excellent development. Maybe there is a partnership we can create between the two of us."

"Indeed there is. What I need you to do for me is to destroy those who were on the planet with you when you were summoned, the ones who escaped. When you do this I shall grant you limitless power in this galaxy. This galaxy is our domain and these ones are the only ones who can halt our progress."

"How so?"

"There is a human woman aboard the ship known as Lady Padmé Skywalker. She is the wife of the one who's body you inhabit. His name was Anakin Skywalker, the most gifted Jedi Padawan in history with a midichlorians count of over 25,000, until I turned him to the Dark Side with a former apprentice of mine, Darth Tyranus, who Anakin slew to become my new apprentice. When he did so he became Darth Vader. However I have always felt that he had a deep connection to Padmé still and his heart still longed for hers. I need her dead. And the other three are all Jedi, a knight known as Obi-Wan who was Anakin's former master, Madam Adi Gallia who is a gifted Jedi Master who sued to sit on the Jedi Council, Master Windu who is a Jedi Master who is second in power only to the strongest of all Jedi Master Yoda who is also aboard that ship. They can halt our progress, and especially that woman Lady Skywalker. I used to know her from my days as a politician before I became emperor, she is incredibly skillful in politics and can easily set up the strongest rebellion this galaxy has ever seen with the help of those Jedi."

"I understand, Lord Palpatine. They shall be destroyed, not to worry. I know where they're going; I have been following their signatures. The Jedi who is doing the cloaking aboard the ship is good, but not good enough."

"Excellent,"

Padmé lowered her head down on the bed. How did it ever come to this? Running from her former husband who was inhabited by an evil demon spirit of an enraged Sith who has been in a disembodied slumber for the last four millennia. It sounded almost like a soap opera to Padmé, but yet it was real. Oh so very real.

Padmé slowly raised her head as Obi-Wan knocked on the cabin door and entered into the room quietly.

"We have decided on a planet, Padmé." He stated softly, taking a seat next to her. "We're going to the jungle planet known as Dagobah. Yoda wishes to stay there. It is a force full place in which he can remain for the time being. It will be a safe place for us to stay for a while until the steam blows over."

Padmé just nodded her head and looked down at her feat, almost in shame.

"Is something wrong Padmé?" he asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Looking up into his eyes, Padmé sighed heavily.

"Obi-Wan I don't know how I'm going to deal with this. I can't live without Anakin here. How can I support my children without him? They don't disserve the life they've been born into! They deserve a life with a father but now I know they'll never have one. I thought when I told Anakin of my pregnancy that it would help bring him back to the light. But now I know that I may have just damned us all."

Obi-Wan rapped and arm around her waste and held her to him. Since Anakin's turn Padmé had become one of his best friends. Many people on different planets had asked if he were the father of Padmé's children. But he never loved Padmé that way. She was his best friend and in a way his last link to Anakin. Her children were the last reminders he had of Anakin, especially little Luke who was like a carbon copy of Anakin.

At that moment Obi-Wan swore to return Anakin to Padmé even if it cost him his life.

One week later

Padmé pulled the covers tightly over her head within her small tent like shelter. It was cold outside on Dagobah that night, surprising since it was supposed to be a warm, humid, jungle planet.

But that wasn't the problem that night.

Someone was watching Padmé as she slept.

End of Chapter Seven

That's it for now. You just have to wait for some more. Well now we see the Sith Lord Exar Kun has come out to play. Will this be the end of the Jedi Order or will this mistake mean the end of the Empire? And who is watching Padmé as she sleeps? Only I know the answer ;). 

Make sure to e-mail me at aiko_kitty_skywalker@hotmail.com or review. I would really appreciate people's input on how the story is going.

May the force be with you,

Aiko "Kitty" Skywalker


	9. Chapter Eight

I don't own Star Wars so DON'T SUE!

Please read and review.

All You Mean To Me

By Aiko "Kitty" Skywalker

Chapter Eight 

Exar Kun placed his hand firmly on the flap of the tent. Quietly he kneeled beside Padmé, pushing himself towards her. Truly she was a beautiful creature, more beautiful than he could comprehend. Her brown locks fell across the side of her cheek, magnifying the beauty of her face. Her pale skin glowed with the light of the moon overhead as the flap of the tent was opened wider. Her red lips were pulled back in an unusual straightness and her eyes were shut tightly. Her brow was wrinkled in a worried expression. Obviously, Kun knew, she was caught within a nightmare. But when she awoke, would she still be in it?

For a lone moment he seemed breathless with a piece of him longing for the beautiful woman who reminded him of an angel. She was Anakin Skywalker's wife, and Kun knew that it was he who was longing for her with love. Exar merely took in the appearance of her; lust ruling over his judgment for a mere moment.

Reaching forward, her stroked her hair out of her face to get a better look.

But the sound from the ignition of a lightsaber behind him brought him from his lust. Turning abruptly, he knocked the tent, pulling it from its pegs in the ground. Padmé was brought awake by the sudden movement and was aware of only one thing.

Anakin stood before her and Obi-Wan was facing him. Padmé released a quick scream, pushing herself from her covers. This scream did not only awake the three other sleeping Jedi Masters but the two sleeping babes who were sleeping in Yoda's new home he had made for himself in the hollowed out trunk of a giant tree not too far from where the tents were situated.

Kun pulled the tent from him, shaking with fury. He quickly lit his lightsaber. Staring into the eyes of Obi-Wan, he smiled evilly from beneath the cloth that was attached over the bottom half of his face to hide it. Only his eyes were visible from beneath the cloak.

Obi-Wan glared at his former Padawan, his breath caught short in his throat.

Yoda held the youngest of the Skywalker twins, Luke, in his arms as he quietly almost nonchalantly walked over to Obi-Wan. He stood between Obi-Wan, who's green lightsaber glowed in the darkness of the evening's lack of light, and Kun who's red double bladed lightsaber stood out against his background.

Yoda shut his eyes for a moment, his hold on Luke increasing slightly before relaxing again as he opened his eyes.

"Be felled upon you the darkness has, Exar Kun. Once a magnificent warrior you were in your days, but overcome by the Jedi you were. Dispel your spirit from the body you are within and back to the old days you should go."

Kun raised an eyebrow mockingly, smiling beneath the bandana he had pulled across his mouth and nose to hide the bottom half of his face. His eyes glowed with a glint of inquiry and what seemed to be almost glee.

"You seem to believe that the three Jedi that are here can defeat me. What brings on such bold ideals?"

"The mere thought that you, Kun, do not know the true capabilities of the body you are in."

"That may be true but I can tap into its abilities better than Skywalker could. Skywalker did not understand his full potential, a potential that could only be tapped in by a Lord of the Sith. I am the greatest Lord of the Sith and I am now the Master of this body! And soon I shall be the ultimate Master of the Galaxy!"

Padmé stood her ground, her face cool and calm. Surprisingly she was battling no tears and was filled with no overwhelming sadness. Surprisingly she wasn't filled with emptiness. All that she could feel was defiance. She stood across from him her head help high. She matched his icy glare with one of her own that, people swore, could freeze alcohol.

"And what of Palpatine? Do you really think you can withstand his power, Kun." She stated, emphasizing his name while narrowing her eyes.

"Let me deal with Palpatine, you little twit. I think you should be worrying about your life and the life of your children."

"If you lay a hand on them Kun I sware I'll…"

"You'll do what? Scratch me to death?" Kun's laugh sent shivers down Padmé's back. Although it was Anakin's voice it was not his laugh. There was no heart, no care, just an empty laugh.

"She won't have to Kun," Mace stated coolly, "we shall destroy you before you even get a chance."

"I highly doubt that." He stated as he swung out at Obi-Wan, catching him off guard.  Yoda calmly stepped aside, still holding baby Luke in his arms.

Duck. Weave. Stab. Thrust. Block.

It was like an endless dance that seemed so perfect and graceful.

But yet it was obvious that Obi-Wan was on the losing end. Kun, although being in a deep hibernation for 4000 years, still seemed to acknowledge his strength over that of Obi-Wan.

Mace calmly turned his head to look at Adi who nodded solemnly and pulled out her saber. Igniting the long blue blade, she swung it a loft as though to warm up before running into the battle. She and Obi-Wan took opposite sides of Kun, but, to their surprise, he lit the other end of his lightsaber and fought off both of the skill full Jedi without falter.

Obi-Wan slashed up, Adi slashed down, both continuously striking at the Sith Master.

But yet their moments were number. Kun pushed forwards with all his might in Obi-Wan, knocking Obi-Wan to the ground and slicing open his right arm and in a swift movement, before either Yoda or Mace could get there to help, struck at Adi with one side of his blade which was easily countered and quickly pushed that side back, pushing the other through and severing her head and neck.

Mace closed his eyes for a brief moment and murmured lightly to himself before lighting his purple blade. Obi-Wan was out of the battle, his right arm sliced through to the bone and he knew it was up to him and Yoda now.

But still Yoda stood holding baby Luke within his arms.

By this time, Padmé was on her knees. She held the bodiless head of Adi Gallia in her hands loosely, flipping it over slightly to see a marking on her the nape of her neck. She could see faintly two letters and could felt the scars of the letters that had been cut into her body. It had been seven months before but she could still remember seeing those marks on Adi for the first time. The two faint letters, she had known, symbolized the future of Anakin Skywalker. Those letters were DV – Darth Vader. He had quickly cut them into her, not deeply but enough for her to know they would always be there when it all happened. Padmé closed her eyes lightly, still feeling no need to cry. She turned over the head in her hands to see the glazed expression on her face; the eyes still open wide in horror. Padmé pushed her fingers onto Adi's eyelids, pushing them closed before resting the head down.

Kun heavily outmatched Mace. It seemed almost something out of a horrible nightmare for Mace, knowing that previously only Yoda had rivaled him with his lightsaber. His thoughts seemed to dwell on Yoda and Kun fighting, the possibility that Yoda could lose. But yet for a moment, he could see into the future and smiled. He looked towards Padmé, as defiant as ever and then towards Obi-Wan, who was crippled with the pain in his shoulder. Then he glanced towards Yoda who nodded towards him. Mace smiled and lifted his blade so that it was parallel to his face, leaving his sides open to attack.

"This is my end, Exar Kun, the end of a Jedi Master. But yet I will tell you that you shall be defeated, not by me, and not by any other Jedi that you see before you, but by the Jedi that lingers inside and the love that stands outside."

With that, Exar Kun struck Jedi Master Mace Windu straight through his side, causing Mace's body to disappear and Yoda to smile.

"Your end, it was, my friend. Always was the force with you. Prepared you were for death."

Padmé looked at Yoda, horror on her face. For a brief moment she could feel that the cause was hopeless. Even mace had believed so.

"Lady Skywalker, hopeless not the cause is. Believe, must you. Strength must you use. My fight, it is not."

Padmé walked towards Yoda, Exar Kun watching her as she did so. His smile that he had worn out of the site of the others faded in grimness. He had to complete his duty.

Padmé took the nervous baby Luke from Yoda, cradling him carefully in her arms. She could feel the warmth in the chubby little baby's embrace and she could sense the power poring through him.

Looking up, Padmé help her breath for a moment before breaking the painful silence.

"Seven months ago I lost you from me when it all happened. I just want to say that I would've been there physically if I could've but you weren't alone." Padmé looked down at Luke's solemn and quiet eyes that held a certain hope. She could feel the confidence within her grow and she knew what she had to do. "I was with you, watching, feeling. Everything that happened, I felt and saw. I wanted nothing more than to hold you in my arms and tell you it would be okay. But I don't know if I can forgive you for it all…"

End of Chapter Eight

That's it for now. You just have to wait for some more. Well I'm sorry for the quick and emotionless deaths of Adi and Mace. I had a whole plot worked out with them woven in but at my rate of writing chapters I wouldn't be done writing everything else until, like, end of this year. Of course I'm just kidding. Anyways two chapters more, tops. The next chapter is meant to be an emotional roller coaster. This chapter was actually put in place to establish the scene for Padmé, Yoda, Obi-Wan and Kun. Basically I wanted to get the technical stuff over and done with uncomplicated while opening up the new story line. I meant to open um Padmé's relationship with her children some more in this chapter, divulging into her character's actual physical reaction tot heir danger. I've already gone into her emotions towards them and I wanted to go more into depth with her actual reactions to the problems. But I felt I was straying off topic, most of this has just been character's thoughts, not their actual actions or the actual plot.

Oh and by the way, we still don't know what happened with Anakin seven months previous after he left Padmé. Next chapter we find out just what happened to Anakin and what caused so much grief for all the people involved.

Make sure to e-mail me at aiko_kitty_skywalker@hotmail.com or review. I would really appreciate people's input on how the story is going.

May the force be with you,

Aiko "Kitty" Skywalker


	10. Chapter Nine

I don't own Star Wars so DON'T SUE!

Please read and review.

All You Mean To Me

By Aiko "Kitty" Skywalker

Chapter Nine 

    "...I don't know if I can forgive you..." Padmé paused momentarily to look into Kun's eyes. "You did some terrible things, Ani, and not just to men, but to women and children too. How could you?"

    "Anakin Skywalker does not exist anymore - only I, Exar Kun."

    Padmé merely ignored Kun and continued. "I can understand that you were angry Ani, I really can, it's just that you went too far. Naboo was my home; it meant so much to me. You destroyed it Ani! You destroyed Theed and with it the heart and soul of the planet." For the first time it looked like Padmé was almost in tears. "You butchered them in that damned costume Palpatine gave you! You hid your face behind that damned cloth so that you didn't even let those people know who hated them with such a passion that he would kill them!"

    "I don't know what you're talking about Lady Skywalker!"

    "Yes you do! All you have to do is look inside yourself and you'll see everything. You'll see Queen Jamillia beg for the mercy of her people. You'll see the faces of the children who lay cowering in your grasp. You'll see the women and the men collapse in death. Worst of all you'll see the people who loved you, who raised you, who took you in and trained you, the Jedi, fall in the agony of your dark power!"

    Yoda closed his eyes softly, holding them closed as though he were caught in sleep. Without moving from his drowsy position, he spoke. "Remember well do I. In pain the people were. Reason, I did not see to do it. Lost to the dark side you were. From us you turned when Madam Adi did you scar."

    Padmé looked towards Yoda for a moment before turning her vision viciously back to Kun.

    "Since I met up with you again, Ani, after ten years, I have been forgiving and understanding. I forgave you when you slaughtered all of those Tusken Raiders. I stood beside you when you came home telling me of what you did in war. I was understanding when you first told me that you were thinking about leaving the Jedi. But when you came back and told me you were leaving the Jedi, I just couldn't be forgiving and understanding. I sometimes wonder if I had been more supportive then that maybe, just maybe, I could've saved the lives of all those people." Padmé could no longer hold back the tears from falling. "Oh Ani, up until the point where you attacked Naboo I was willing to forgive you for walking out on us. But Anakin all the way through my pregnancy you weren't there for us. I often wondered if you even cared. You walked out of me when I was pregnant!"

    "I am not Anakin Skywalker!"

    Padmé again ignored him as her expression lightened to a state of near pleading.

    "Anakin I could forgive you leaving Tatooine. I can forgive the fight you had with Obi-Wan on Coruscant after you left me. But the moment you decided to go to Naboo and attack my people and battle the Jedi, scarring the order for all of eternity, you lost me."

    Kun held his ground and glared at Padmé, his frustration boiling. "What makes you think your talking to Anakin Skywalker?" Kun snapped angrily.

    "Because you haven't killed me yet!" Padmé snarled back. "I know that if it were really Exar Kun controlling that body that I would all ready be dead because I know that Palpatine would love nothing more but to have me dead."

    "I could kill you if I wanted to." Kun stated defiantly.

    "Than do it! Get it over with!"

    Exar Kun stalked towards her, and glanced towards Yoda momentarily as he did so. He saw no look on Yoda's face that would show that he was about to stop him. His eyes were still closed in a look of slumber. Kun smiled to himself and reached forwards towards Padmé's neck. No reason to do it with the force, it was much more fun to do it physically, to watch her squirm as she ran out of breath, feeling the hand she had loved so much break every bone in her neck before suffocating her.

    Padmé continued to look bravely on, any trace of sadness and fear escaping her features.

    "Do it!" she commanded. "Do it! End my life!"**__**

    Exar Kun's smile brightened as he leaned towards her to grasp her neck.

    Padmé merely continued to glare. Deep inside something told her to be afraid, yet the rest of her, the whole of her strength, the inner beauty of her heart, told her not to be afraid. It told her that everything would be all right.

    Kun continued to push his hand forwards, reaching towards her neck. Nothing would stop him now.

    However, Padmé was too caught up in her thoughts and feelings to notice Kun's hand reach her throat and Luke began to cry.

    ***

    It was a dark and cloudy night when Anakin Skywalker left Coruscant to head to Naboo. It had been four days since he had left his beautiful wife Padmé for the last time. She had thrown him out when he had announced his turn to the Dark Side.

    He had returned to Coruscant soon after to see Palpatine and explain that Padmé had not taken his turn to the Dark Side as well as he had hoped she would.

    But when he had reached Palpatine he had not the heart to tell him of her pregnancy.

    Yet that was the last thing on his mind. All that he could think about was what happened after his meeting with Palpatine.

    After the meeting with Palpatine, Anakin had been assigned a mission to meet with an Imperial Agent on a planet near Naboo.

    But when he had reached his ship Obi-Wan had been there waiting for him.

    "Your leaving everything you said you wanted," he had said.

    "Wants change,"

    "So do responsibilities,"

    "'What?"

    "Your family Anakin."

    "They mean nothing to me. Now get out of my way old man."

    "No."

    "Get out of my way!"

    "No!"

    Anakin had lit his lightsaber and the two had fought.  Both had received plenty of punishment. By the time Anakin finally pulled out of the fight and into his ship

    Anakin rubbed his face lightly as he watched the blood from his cuts on his face drip down onto his clothes.

    Damn Obi-Wan for this! But Anakin would have his revenge. The galaxy would pay for his pain.

    Quickly, Anakin set the ship to anti pilot and left the cockpit to go to his cabin.

    In there was his destiny.

    The uniform of Darth Vader!

    Vader looked from side to side watching the bodies writhed in pain. Vader's breath had lodged in his throat as he knelt beside the corpse of Queen Jamillia of the Naboo. He had taken out his pain on those from Naboo, leaving none alive in Theed.

    As he looked at Jamillia, he did not see Jamillia in her torn regal clothes of the royal court of Naboo. All that he saw was Padmé lying before him as Queen Amidala in her celebration dress, he throat slit by his blade.

    He knew right then that he had destroyed a piece of Padmé that he could not give back.

    "What have I done?" Vader asked softly so he could barely even hear himself.

    He couldn't pull his eyes away from her. He just kept staring.

    Darth Vader thought he was afraid of nothing but when Padmé's eyes opened wide he knew he was wrong. Her pink and white dress disappeared and in its place was a long dark black robe with a black dress beneath it. The cut on her neck disappeared and in its place were red marks from somebody's hand choking her. He could hear a baby cry in the distance and feel Padmé's unforgiving stare on him. Although he knew he hadn't done this yet, something told him he would.

    Vader could feel a soft tear trickle down his cheek.

    "What have you done?" a voice commanded from behind him.

    "I thought I told you to leave me be?" Vader cried. Without turning he knew who it was.

    Vader stood and turned. His hunch was justified. Obi-Wan stood there with five other Jedi, two of which were Padawans no older than seventeen. One of the masters was Adi Gallia and the other two he recognized as friends of Obi-Wan.

    A battle had raged then. Anakin's left hand had been severed end his right's circuitry had been damaged. His armour had gashes through it on his legs, going through to his skin.

    However, before he turned to leave, Vader had left his mark. One of the Padawan's corpse lay amongst the bodies of the Naboo Citizens'. Adi Gallia had also suffered during the battle. Vader had managed to embed his initials, DV, with his lightsaber into the back of her neck.

    Vader turned quickly to retreat. But before he did, he chanced one last look at Padmé. "They made me do it, Mé. They drove me to it. However the body just continued to stare, pupils dilated in post mortem.

    Once he had fled, Obi-Wan chanced a glance to where Vader had been staring. The body of Jamillia laid there, eyes wide with pupils fully dilated.

End of Chapter Nine

That's it for now. But hehe, we now know what Anakin did. Bad Anakin, I mean Vader. I hope I didn't confuse anyone there, but the flash back scene was supposed to make a point. You'll see what it is next chapter.

An important thing to remember: Humanity can never be destroyed it can only be hidden.

Make sure to e-mail me at aiko_kitty_skywalker@hotmail.com or review. I would really appreciate people's input on how the story is going.

May the force be with you,

Aiko "Kitty" Skywalker


	11. Epilogue

I don't own Star Wars so DON'T SUE!

Please read and review.

All You Mean To Me

By Aiko "Kitty" Skywalker

Epilogue 

    _"Humanity can never be destroyed, only hidden."_

    Exar Kun's grip loosened for a moment as Anakin's memories swept over him. He looked into Padmé's eyes and could swear that her eyes were cold and fully dilated.  However inside he knew she was still there and that it wasn't too late...

    No! Anakin Skywalker was dead. Only Kun remained.

    But yet when the crying of Luke was heard, Anakin's memories came hauntingly into his mind.

    No! He was Kun!

    "Ani," Padmé whispered.

    "No! I am Exar Kun!"

    "Ani," she whispered again.

    "No! I am Exar Kun!"

    "I..." she whispered.

    "No! Exar Kun!"

    "Forgive..." her voice was forced and painful.

    "I am..." Kun screamed at her tightening his grip.

    "You." she finally whispered slipping into unconsciousness.

    "Anakin." he whispered releasing her. He could feel Kun screaming inside of him but he didn't care.

    Padmé's word had won.

    Kneeling down beside her, Anakin pulled away the black cloth covering his mouth and nose. Then he reached down and felt for a pulse.

    None.

    Tears welled in his eyes. Padmé. Gone. She couldn't be gone. Anakin had come back to her. He needed her. He loved her.

    Leaning down, Anakin captured her cold lips within his own.

    They tasted like honey.

    At that moment Anakin realized all that she meant to him. She was everything.

    Tears continued to pool down his face. Anakin stared up at Yoda who still held his son. Yoda nodded his head at Anakin as though it were approval for what Anakin was going to do next.

    Anakin turned back to Padmé. Once again he leaned down and captured her lips within his own.

    But to his surprise they were warmer than before.

    Anakin leaned against the doorway of the room that Padmé's doctor had put her in. After Anakin had discovered that Padmé was alive, they had headed to a planet known as Xavier, where the secret base of the Old Republic loyalists was situated, there Padmé had received the medical attention she had needed.

     However, Padmé somehow had fallen into a coma. It didn't make sense to the doctors, but to Anakin it did.

    The battle against Kun was the final straw on her tired mind. He had put her through so much.

    But he would make it up to her.

    "Mé, he whispered softly. "Mé please come back, I need you." Anakin knelt beside her bed and lightly held her hand. "I would do anything for you. I even went back to the Jedi order." Softly, he caressed her small hand within his own.

    "And our children need you. Oh Mé, I love them so much. But I can't be the father they need without you!" Anakin removed his eyes from her for a moment to look at the large crib at the other side of the room.

    "Mé you're everything to me. You are the universe! You are the planets, the moons and the stars, there's no limit to the love I have for you. That's all you mean to me."

    Anakin turned his gaze to the floor. It all seemed so hopeless.

    But then came the gentle squeeze of Padmé's hand that Anakin loved so much.

    At that moment Anakin knew for the first time in almost a year, that everything was going to be all right.

    THE END

That's it for now. All right, I know it was short. But I have a habit of making ending short but sweet. Its like my English teacher says, "Write me a dinosaur. It starts skinny at the beginning (the head), becomes thicker at the middle and then skinny again at the end (the tail)."

Also I have a habit of with my very long multi chapter pieces writing a moral at the very end. So here it is. _Humanity can never be destroyed, only hidden._

Make sure to e-mail me at aiko_kitty_skywalker@hotmail.com or review. I would really appreciate people's input on how the story went.

May the force be with you,

Aiko "Kitty" Skywalker


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